Was there such thing as a code of chivalry in period times? Or is that a modern adaptation to the ideals upon which chivalry is based?

I have a friend who is writng a paper on the "code of chivalry", and he is having a hard time finding the right info. Does anybody know of a resource to information on this?

Thanks.

Lance,
This book covers chivalry and its origins in the knightly context: http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0896600130

I'm sure there are many other books, too. Here are some I found by searching the word "chivalry" in the bookstore; I haven't read any of them:

http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=1891448420
http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=1842328042
http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0801485487
http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0851156274
http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0300033605
http://www.myArmoury.com/books/item.php?ASIN=0199244588

Those are the highlights of the first 3 pages of results (out of 72) that the bookstore returns. :)

Thanks Chad!

Incidentally, I am also writing a paper on chivalry, specifically with regard to The Canterbury Tales. I've got a fairly good book by Richard W. Kaeuper entitled Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe. You'll also note it's the first book that appears among Chad's links. Kaeuper tackles the difficulties and apparent disparancies between chivalric literature and historical reality. He also discusses social influences and realities that affected the way knight's perceived of themselves. My only complaint so far in my only partial reading of the book is that he seems to suggest a greater degree of chivalry between historical knights on the field of war than may actually have been the case. Otherwise though, I'd recommend the book for your friend.

To the best of my knowledge, there was not any one specific "Chivalric Code" in the Middle Ages, partially because no one ever came to an agreement as to what things specifically constituted the code. That doesn't mean that codes weren't posited (I think it can be argued successfully that the pentangle on Gawain's shield represents a chivalric code in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), but historically, there was no specific agreement on the issue. However, just because there was no universal code posited did not mean that knights did not have conceptions of what chivalry meant that they tried to live up to at times. It's known that chivalric romance was certainly read by knights, and certainly it influence their behaviour.

From Chivalry by Leon Gautier

Quote:

The Ten Commandments of the Code of Chivalry Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches, and shalt observe all its directions. Thou shalt defend the Church. Thou shalt repect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them. Thou shalt love the country in the which thou wast born. Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy. Thou shalt make war against the Infidel without cessation, and without mercy. Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. Thou shalt never lie, and shall remain faithful to thy pledged word. Thou shalt be generous, and give largess to everyone. Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil. "

More code is found here. Also some links at the bottom are worth checking out:
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall/chivalry.html

I'd also recommend the book Chivarly by Maurice Keen.

When looking at chivalry, it doesn't hurt to have a look at the concept of the 'just war'. Depending on your source material there as many as a dozen standards to meet for a war to be considered 'just'. It's not the same thing as chivalry, but it is related when you're considering rules on how one governs actions in war.